The Beginner's Guide to Starting Counselling

Starting counselling can feel a bit like your first day at a new job, first date, or first trip to IKEA! You know it's probably a good idea, but you might have absolutely no clue what to expect.

The good news? Your first counselling session is usually much more comfortable than people imagine.

So, What Actually Happens?

Think of the first session as a conversation, not an interrogation.

Your counsellor will likely ask questions to get to know you, such as:

• What brought you to counselling

• What's been feeling difficult lately

• What you'd like to get out of therapy

• A bit about your background, relationships, or life circumstances

There are no right or wrong answers, and you don't need to have your entire life story organized into a neat PowerPoint presentation.

What If I Don't Know What to Say when Starting Counselling?

That's completely okay. Many people arrive thinking:

• "Where do I even start?"

• "My problems aren't serious enough."

• "What if I get emotional?"

• "What if I don't get emotional?"

Trust! You wouldn't be the first person to think any of these things.

A skilled counsellor can help guide the conversation, even if you're not sure where to begin. However, if you get stuck here are some helpful things you can bring into your first appointment or consultation.

• Availability

• Cost

• Healing Modalities / Specialties

• Post Session Support

• Resources

• Public Run-Ins

Do I Have to Share Everything Right Away?

Absolutely not. Counselling isn't a race to reveal your deepest secrets in the first 50 minutes.

You get to decide what feels comfortable to share and when. Building trust takes time, and that's perfectly normal.

What Should I Bring?

Not much. You might find it helpful to bring:

• Questions you'd like answered

• Topics you want to discuss

• A notebook (if you're a note-taker)

• An open mind and a little curiosity

One Last Thing

It's normal to feel nervous before your first session. In fact, many people do.

Simply showing up is often the hardest part. Counselling is a space where you can be human, messy, uncertain, hopeful, overwhelmed, or all of the above. Your counsellor isn't there to judge you; they're there to support you.

And no, they probably won't ask you to lie on a couch and talk about your dreams. Unless, of course, you'd like to.

Call us to start your counselling journey!